The present disclosure relates generally to tools for a robotic arm, and is more particularly directed to a robotic tool that can pick up a plurality of articles in one configuration and reorganize the articles into a second configuration.
Robotic arms are components of high volume distribution and fulfillment operations, and can perform complicated tasks such as placing, stacking, and/or un-stacking articles for transit. In product distribution, it can be desirable to take articles, such as cans and/or bottles, that are received in one configuration and to reorganize the articles into a second configuration for packing and/or unpacking of the articles. For example, articles such as containers may emerge from a filling line in a first configuration of two parallel rows. The containers can be picked up in the first configuration, reorganized into a second configuration of four rows, and moved to another location, such as placed into a low sided carton on another conveyor line for wrapping and delivery to a truck. Accordingly, described herein is a tool for a robotic arm that can pick up articles in one configuration and deliver them to another area in a second, different configuration.